Song Review: DAY6 – When You Love Someone

The beauty behind the kind of sustained release schedule DAY6 has utilized this year is that it gives an artist the opportunity to display a wide variety of sounds without the risk and money that goes into a full-fledged, long-anticipated comeback. But over the past few months, I fear that DAY6 are started to fall into a bit of a rut, essentially releasing the same kind of song over and over. Fans of the band will already be predisposed to love a song like When You Love Someone (그렇더라고요), but I don’t see how its risk-averse approach would win over those who might not already be interested.

Though the Every DAY6 project has been pretty consistent so far, When You Love Someone is easily my least-favorite of its promoted tracks. For a group that kicked 2017 off with the dynamic, go-for-broke I Wait, Someone feels like a total slog in comparison. Its tempo and energy are not too dissimilar from I Loved You earlier this month, but none of its elements connect this time around. The verses are slowed to a crawl, and though the group’s trademark harmonies help to bolster the arrangement, the chorus never really takes off.

My concern is that we’ve reached the point in Every DAY6 where the band are struggling to pump out title track worthy material. This is completely understandable. I mean, what group truly has twelve title tracks in them during one calendar year? And maybe it’s okay that Every DAY6 becomes as much a spotlight on their b-sides as it is an opportunity for promotion. But the thing is, When You Love Someone wouldn’t even rank among their more memorable album tracks. There’s a certain energy that’s been lacking since the spring, and I hope the guys rekindle that sense of excitement for the final stretch of their ambitious 2017.

Were you aware they’ve been releasing a b-side track along with every promoted MV track this year? Because for the past few months I would have to say their b-sides have been sounding more title track-worthy than the songs they’ve been giving MVs. Each one has had a certain unique touch and an energy that, like you said, their recent title tracks have honestly been lacking. Why they’re relegating them to side tracks that primarily only their established fans will listen to instead of branching out more with this project I have no clue, but it definitely seems like a wasted opportunity.

I’m concerned about what will happen after they finish their Every DAY6 project. If they are already experiencing a bit of a burnout, imagine how difficult it will be for them to release a solid track for an official comeback. Right now, they seem to be appeasing and retaining their fanbase, even growing it a little bit, but it’s whatever upcoming release that gets full comeback promotions that will need to grow that base and gain public recognition. Unless they are holding back some of their better material, it will either be a long wait for a good song or a rushed comeback for what most likely will be an underwhelming one. Neither option is a particularly good one, so they will be stuck in a rut more ways than one.